SE needs to add monsters that are IT++, not just IT(borderline VT). They need to grant way over 200 exp a kill for them to even compare to rapid killing of the current situation. Finally, they need a lot of unique traits to balance them being weaker than their level without being meleeburn pray. The exp doesn't have be entirely based on level, giving monsters an exp bonus (like Hippogryphs, Wyverns, and Rams have) can make it easier.
Let's make up a monster here.
First let's compare exp gain. These estimates are very, very rough and shouldn't be held by any standard.
Group 1: Tank DD DD Healer Support BLM(BLU or SMN might work) + DD/BLM/orSupport. Uses SC+MB. (Might be best if one DD was a SAM)
Group 2: DD DD DD DD Support Support. Uses Meleeburn.
Both of these groups are average / borderline well-geared. No BB MNKs or Ridils.
We won't factor in exp chain rewards, but note: They will probably be in the favor of Group 1 if they can hit Chain 5. Group II will be more consistent with their chains however(probably having a constant Chain 5 bonus).
Group 2 kills a monster that gives 100 base exp every 30 seconds. In 10 minutes, that's 2000 exp or 20 monsters. (that's 12k an hour, without factoring Chain Bonuses)
Group 1 kills a monster that gives 300 base exp. That means to keep up, they need to kill around 6 and half monsters in 10 minutes for 1980 exp. That is more than 2 monsters per 2 minutes, meaning they can hold a Chain 5 (but it might be a bit close). (that's 11.8k an hour, without factoring Chain Bonuses, with would be a lot of the exp gain).
It seems Group II would be able to keep up with Group I, maybe even surpass them with Chain bonuses added in... so 300 exp is perfect.
Now the monster would have be different than normal. It would need some unique traits:
1) Prevents the current hate target from being an effective DD. This can be done with a simple Defense bonus against monsters facing them or making the monster very hard to tank with shadows but effective with VIT/Def/Shield. There has been be an advantage to holding it still.
2) A lot of HP. And MP. It would need to be Aspir-able for BLMs. Maybe even weak to Aspir.
3) A weakness to SC and MB to counter it's large HP.
4) This something almost every monster needs: not have super annoying AoEs, buffs, or debuffs.
5) Have a camp with at least 5 or 6 pops on a 5-minute timer.
6) The camp must be easy to handle. Either they don't link or they are easy to pull. If the latter, they shouldn't be TOO hard to sleep.
#3 is most interesting and probably most important. We saw this with Qutrub in a way. However, they weren't enough to bring back the style... this was probably due to other factors that they missed from above...
Is there a monster, in FFXI right now, that SE could modify to fit the SC set up perfectly? Yes, the Wivre.
http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/Category:Wivre
They have #1, 5, and 6 down perfectly... with frontal Cone AoE and a Defense bonus from the front. Their camp is awesome, couldn't be better really. They do not turn if hate is changed, simply begin to attack with their tail.
#2 is sort of fulfilled as they have very high HP. I don't know their job type... but they sound PLD, so they might be Aspir-able. They have very high Defense, but very low Evasion(ITs conning with low evasion with small effort).
Their WSes are mixed: They have a Berserk/Haste effect(very strong haste, like 100%), a SEVERE AoE Attack Down effect(ruins them really), and spike-flail type move. They also have a Defense up ability that greatly increases the defense in their front and back.
The biggest problem is the AoE Attack Down. There should be a way to prevent that. I think the best way would be: It only uses it if hate changes too fast. Like if a PLD or NIN lost hate for a couple seconds, then got it back, the thing wouldn't use it. However, if a meleeburn tried to make it bounce around everywhere, they would get nailed with it.
Really, that would be enough, all you need to do is work on making SCs worthwhile. A simple boost could do this: While Weapon Skills receive no damage bonus, Skillchain Damage and spells that are MB'd receive a HUGE bonus and are never resisted. Let's say a flat 50% bonus on SC damage(and since it's never getting resisted... that's the WS damage * 1.5 more damage) and an additional 50% Bonus on MB'd spells... which is 80% without a BLM stacking MB+ gear on.
So let's see: Let's say the set up is BLU and SAM and BLM. They are going to do Light.
Don't bust me on this, but let's say BLU uses Savage Blade, for the fact it's Fragmentation. SAM will use Tachi: Kasha. The BLM, with three Merits in Burst II will use that. BLU will MB with Mind Blast. Let's say the BLM lacks Relic Gloves and Static Earring.
Let's say the BLU does 500 Damage and the SAM does 1200 Damage. The SC will do 1800 Damage and the BLM would hit around 1300 or 1400 damage without the MB bonus(depending on how well geared he was), with the bonus of 89%, he does 2646 Damage. I'm not sure how much mind Blast does usually, but I'm going to say maybe 400 Damage? If that's that 800 Damage.
500 + 800 + 1200 + 1800 + 2646 = 5146 Damage. I don't think Wivre have that much more than that... I could imagine physical attacks to build TP covering the difference.
Sorry about the really random numbers, I haven't been in an lvl 75 exp party in roughly a year, let alone one with a BLU.
The last change is... if they are not "PLD" tyoe mobs already, make them that, so BLM(and DRK and /BLM) can Aspir.
Another thing they could do for SCs, which would help A LOT for jobs with magic that they don't use (DRK, PLD, even WHM) and a job like SMN, is add a Conserve MP effect to Magic Bursting.
Something 100%. Conserve MP saves you by making you pay 15/16 to 8/16(1/2) MP cost. This bonus would need to be 8/16 to 4/16, that's 1/2 to 1/4 MP cost.
I would restrict this bonus to SC Levels 2 and higher, just to be on the safe side.
This would have a HUGE effect on SMN using Magical BPs in parties... hell, it might even let SMNs who are not curing let their Avatar build TP.
For BLMs, it lets them MB AM II magic without fear of killing their reserves. I'm not sure how many of you are aware, but Thunder IV is much better than Burst II(or any AM) by a good ratio. Burst II is 2.47~ Damage per MP and Thunder IV is around 3.14~ I think. However, AM II was meant to be MB'd (just look at those merit upgrades). The same could be said for the Merit SMN BPs, in fact, the exact same thing could be said when comparing their Physical BPs.
With this change, a BLM can MB a AM II for between 143.5 MP and 71.75 MP. That's a Stone IV and Blizzard II.
If that doesn't bring back SCs, nothing will. And it wouldn't be broken if compared to the current meleeburn tactic. It would turn BLM to "lol downtime" to "I have to learn to MB now?".
Let me tell you, it would do a lot for BLM for things like Assaults and small group things. I don't see it having too much of an effect on BLM for the big things outside something like Kirin(where you go all out)... because you don't only stop and rest for MP, you have to keep your hate in check. Really, this only helps LSes that gimp themselves by not accepting some zerg tactics.
Now this would have an even bigger effect on SMN, who would feel the boost with their tier II/IV nukes and magical BPs. I wouldn't be surprised if SMN could turn into a full out DD if not put into the healer's spot, at least before merit-range. Shiva could use Rush to build TP fast and Blizzard IV would be reduced a good deal. Now if you put some effort into an avatar with a good supporting BP?(Garuda, Titan, Fenrir... especially Fenrir, he's cheap) SMNs won't need to switch out and lose TP.
I can see BLU also benefiting a lot from this, but I don't know a big deal about the job. I do know Magical attacks are not popular in exp due to physicals being more damaging. This would probably fix that.
Things get interesting when you consider a PLD never really uses all his MP in exp parties anymore. Maybe that weak, but hate-grabbing Holy for 50 or 25 MP might be useful sometimes. If the party was built for it, WHMs could have fun with their Banish spells. I doubt a DRK would find much mileage with this, but consider they have a good deal of MAB gear and B Elemental Skill... well, I don't know. RDMs will dig it, that's for sure.
A camp with a monster designed for SC+MB exp at 75 and the exp reduction I named above? I think it would be enough to bring back SCs to at least a decent popularity.
And I'm done.
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